Patient Experience in the Face of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the patient experience in the United States in important ways, through a heightened emphasis on safety, a massive expansion in the use of telehealth services, and expansive efforts to provide quality, attentive care for patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19. Yet the pandemic has not altered the fundamental importance of patients’ relationships with their providers in driving satisfaction with their care experiences.

Based on patient feedback captured across diverse hospital-based care settings from January through September 2020, this report offers insights that provider organizations can use to meet their patients’ needs now and in the coming years:

• The Patient-provider relationship continues to remain the top driver of satisfaction, outweighing factors such as wait time and hospital facilities. Providers must draw on these relationships as they implement safety policies, expand telehealth, and enhance care delivery treatments.
• Patients who follow safety instructions like mask-wearing or social distancing are more satisfied with their care experiences and report greater trust in their hospitals.
• While patients have used telehealth services in record numbers, satisfaction with these services depends heavily on effective communication during appointments, empathetic care from providers, and convenience.